A new data processing service has been commissioned by Otago Regional Council (ORC) to extract further information from the MetService’s rain radar station in North Otago.

The rain radar information is used by ORC to improve and inform on potential flood responses, with enough data now available to be able to extract estimates on observed rainfall amounts.

The current radar provides coverage of Dunedin, the lower Taieri, lower Clutha Mata-Au River catchments, and coastal Otago from the Catlins up to Waitaki, however there is a gap in coverage, largely because of the topography around Queenstown-Lakes and Central Otago.

ORC operations general manager Dr Gavin Palmer said filling this gap would assist with managing pluvial flooding risk in Wānaka, Luggate, Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh, and Queenstown.

MetService National Radar Coverage (left), and the Otago Rain Radar near Hindon. PHOTO: Supplied

“The rain radar data complements a range of data and information used by the ORC to inform and guide decision making during responses to potential or actual heavy rainfall events,” he said.

Other weather observations used by ORC include from on-the-ground rain gauges, lake water level stations, river flow and level stations and other organisations’ monitoring networks, he said.

The radar data can estimate the location and severity of rain, where and how much rain is currently falling and has recently fallen. It can also estimate where rain is likely to go next and how quickly.

It uses the latest dual polarisation technology which can identify different types of precipitation, be it rain, hail or snow.